Going to the zoo is always cool. No matter how old you are, there’s still something amazing about seeing wild animals up close.

Some people think zoos are cruel and wild animals deserve to live in their natural habitats. But actually, zoos do a lot of good work! Not only do they help animals too sick or weak to survive in the wild, but they also help with breeding to improve population numbers. Selective breeding in safe environments has prevented many species from being considered in danger of extinction.

No matter how you feel about raising animals in captivity, you can’t deny that zoos are interesting places. For many of us, it’s the only time we’ll ever see wild creatures in person. It’s not often that you get to come face-to-face with an elephant, tiger, or gorilla!

But zoos get plenty of wild visitors who aren’t animals at all, but people. Zoo visitors throw garbage, tap on the glass, and even try to touch the animals. That’s why zoo staff displays signs — sometimes, ones with a pretty twisted sense of humor.